The Natural Cure of Consumption, Constipation, Bright's Disease, Neuralgia, Rheumatism, "Colds" (Fevers), Etc.: How Sickness Originates, and How to Prevent It. A Health Manual for the People.Page, C. E. (Charles Edward)
Science
The Natural Cure of Consumption, Constipation, Bright's Disease, Neuralgia, Rheumatism, "Colds" (Fevers), Etc.: How Sickness Originates, and How to Prevent It. A Health Manual for the People.
Page, C. E. (Charles Edward)
Hygiene -- Popular works; Medicine, Popular
With a view to the exaltation of the condition of the entire organism, as
well as simply that of the digestive and assimilative system——and in
addition to the reform already suggested as to clothing, _i.e._, a
reduction in the number and weight of garments habitually worn, when these
have been superabundant,——I would say to all classes, sick or well, that
great advantage will be derived from habituating themselves to transient
exposure of the entire surface of the body to the air. Often enough, we
observe persons sitting heavily clad, in a warm room and close to the
fire, and yet feeling “shivery” and sure of having “caught cold.” To throw
off all clothing would banish such chills _instanter_, especially if the
person begins to give himself a brisk hand-rubbing. The skin is sweltered,
and is numb for want of circulation in the capillaries. In the case
supposed the person has _prevented_ a “cold.” Next to the water-bath,
which is, of course, or ought to be, an air-bath and water-bath combined,
the simple air-bath is invaluable as a prophylactic or a curative; and in
very many instances, say for several mornings in each week, and whenever
the usual water-bath is not convenient, the air-bath will prove an
excellent substitute. In place of _dodging_ from the sweltering bed into
his heavy day-clothing, the _robust_ man will be far more likely to
maintain his vigorous condition by doffing his night-shirt and indulging
for the space of, say, five minutes or less, in brisk hand-rubbing all
over, however cold his sleeping-room, and again on going to bed; while the
delicate ones should, with due caution, inaugurate the same system (some
_will-power_ has to be exerted), but graduated, as to temperature and
duration, to their special conditions——advancing as their physical
condition improves under its influence until they are no longer members of
that immense army——the victims of “aërophobia.” Patients themselves too
weak for even the exercise of self-rubbing will still derive great benefit
from the air-bath, in a temperature, say, of 65°, with an attendant to rub
them briskly from neck to heels. Set in practice in a rational manner this
custom will never injure the most delicate person, but on the contrary
will always prove beneficial. It will not bring the dead to life, nor,
indeed, “cure” the moribund; but it is one of Nature’s most efficient
aids——it is Nature herself, in very truth——and I have seen patients who
were thought to be hopelessly ill, begin to take on what seemed to be
renewed life, largely through this new use of fresh air, and the
_dismissal_ of the _unnatural dread of it_. For example:
CHRONIC DYSPEPSIA CURED BY FASTING AND FRESH AIR.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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